1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: April 5, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Zizette Mullins, MMC, City Clerk
Desiree Jimenez, CMC, Assistant City Clerk
SUBJECT: Adoption of an Ordinance Ame nding the Burbank Municipal Code in its Entirety to Replace Gender-Specific Language with Gender Neutra l Language
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDI NG
THE BURBANK MUNICIPAL CODE IN I TS ENTIRETY TO REPLACE GENDER-
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE WITH GENDER NEUTRAL LANGUAGE
SUMMARY
The above-entitled Ordinance was introduced at a City Council Regular Meeting on March 15, 2022. Council Members Frutos, Schultz, and Springer, Vice-M ayor Anthony, and Mayor Talamantes were present. The City Council unanimously vot ed 5-0 to introduce the ordinance and move forward with the replacement of gender-s pecific language with gender neutral language contained within the Burbank Municipal Code (BMC).
Staff forewent the traditional two-step agenda process because this request is a necessary update to the BMC to make it consistent with both federal and state laws.
Upon adoption of the ordinance, the Burbank City Clerk’s Office will execute necessary documents to begin the services from the City’s Codification Ve ndor, Code Publishing Company, to change all gender-specific pronouns and nouns to gender neutral pronouns based on an ordinance enacted by the City with exceptions as provided by the City.
Gendered language shall be replac ed with gender neutral pronoun s. Gender- specific language such as “he,” “she,” “him,” “his,” or “her” s hall be replaced with appropriate gender-neutral pronouns s uch as “they,” “their,” or “them” as CITY CLERK’S OFFICE
2 grammatically appropriate and in a manner that does not change the legal meaning of any provision of the BMC.
Gendered language will be preserv ed if legally required due to the specific gendered intent of the provision.
(a) The gender neutral pronoun includes the feminine and mascul ine genders.
(b) “They/them/their” shall indicate a singular individual, unless the context indicates the contrary.
Vote at Introduction:
AYES: FRUTOS, SCHULTZ, SPRINGER, ANTHONY, AND TALAMANTES NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
This Ordinance is now presented for adoption.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Burbank’s existing Codification Vendor, Code Publis hing Company, has provided a proposal for an estimate in the amount of $1,000 for the completion of this Project. The City Clerk’s Office has identified FY 2021-22 Budget funding for this Project which would be charged to 001.CC01A. 62170.
ATTACHMENT
1. Ordinance for adoption.